Woman claimed imprisoned man’s disability allowance

A MAN’S disability allowance was claimed at a post office every week for 10 weeks — despite the fact he was in jail at the time.

The fraud unit at Anglesea Street Garda Station in Cork became aware of the deception and caught a woman making the claim at the General Post Office on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, on the tenth week.

At Cork District Court yesterday, Mary Ellen Heaphy of 23 Clonard Avenue, Grenagh, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to 10 charges arising out of the scam.

Judge Uinsin MacGruairc initially indicated that he was going to jail the 28-year-old defendant for two months. He said Heaphy was caught in January 2007 yet she had not brought any money to court to repay the total of more than €1,492 that was fraudulently claimed.

Defence solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said it was the defendant’s intention to repay the money and requested time for this to be done.

Judge MacGruairc decided to put a stay on the two-month imprisonment warrant. He put the case back for two months and said he would sign the warrant if the defendant did not have all of the compensation in court on that occasion.

Detective Sergeant Edmond Fogarty said the defendant obtained a disability benefit book in the name of her then partner and she obtained weekly payment orders. She was obtaining the money in the man’s name despite the fact he was in prison.

The detective sergeant said: “Because the man’s circumstances had changed, the book should have been surrendered as he was not entitled to claim the money and nor was any other agent entitled to draw the benefit. But Ms Heaphy drew this benefit between November 2006 and January 2007.”

She withdrew a total of €1,658 but she was caught with the last of the payments so that was recovered at the time, leaving an amount outstanding of €1,492.

Mr Kelleher said: “She was in dire financial straits at the time. The man was the father of her child. He gave her the book as a financial support. She will pay it back if given the chance.”